Objective To investigate the diversity of gut microbiota in osteoporosis(OP)patients with various traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome types in the Lingnan region.Methods The analysis was carried out in 13 OP patients with blood stasis and qi stagnation syndrome(Group 1)and 13 OP patients with liver-kidney deficiency syndrome(Group 2)who were treated at Guangzhou Hospital of Chinese Medicine,the Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from January 2023 to December 2023.Fecal samples of both groups were collected,and baseline comparisons between the two groups were performed before testing.After DNA extraction,valid sequencing data were processed by operational taxonomic unit(OTU)clustering,species annotation,and microbial community composition analysis.Alpha and Beta diversity indices were employed to assess species diversity,and LEfSe was used to identify key microbial taxa.Results No significant differences in baseline characteristics such as gender and age were presented between the two groups(P＞0.05).Microbial community composition analysis revealed no significant differences in the top 15 abundant taxa at various taxonomic levels between the two groups,but structural variations were noted.Alpha diversity analysis showed that the Simpson index in Group 1 differed from that in Group 2(P＜0.05),while chao 1,ACE,richness,and coverage indices exhibited no significant differences between the two groups(P＞0.05).In Beta diversity analysis,multi-response permutation analysis(MRPP)indicated no significant intergroup differences in community structure(P＞0.05),whereas principal coordinate analysis(PCoA)suggested distinct differences in the distribution of species composition.LEfSe identified 14 taxa(e.g.,Lachnospiraceae and Lachnospirales)with significantly higher abundance and 5 taxa(e.g.,Anaeromassilibacillus and Desulfovibrio)with significantly lower abundance in Group 1.Conclusion OP patients with various TCM syndrome types in the Lingnan region exhibit distinct gut microbiota diversity and dominant microbial taxa,which will provide an objective basis for TCM syndrome differentiation of OP.

Objective To study the feasibility and safety of total en bloc spondylectomy (TES) for bone tumors of the fourth lumbar spine and evaluate the clinical outcomes.Methods From March 2011 to December 2013,21 patients undergone total en bloc spondylectomy in posterior-only approach were retrospectively reviewed.The patients included 9 males and 12 females,with a mean age of 47.1± 15.6 years old (range,15-71 years old).This series included 12 cases of primary bone tumors and 9 cases of solitary metastases.Preoperative evaluation according to clinical,imaging and pathologic features was performed meticulously to select patients.The length of surgery,estimated blood loss,surgical margins,instrumentation failure,perioperative complications,Frankel scale,visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain,local control rate and overall survival were reviewed and analyzed.Results Total en bloc spondylectomy was performed successfully in all patients.Average operative time and estimated blood loss were 297.6±44.6 min (range,225-420 min) and 2 247.1±904.5 ml (range,900-4100 ml),respectively.The mean follow-up time was 50.4± 17.1 mons (range,24-79 mons).All patients encountered nerve roots stretch and 5 patients (23.8％) showed lower extremeties neurological dysfunction.All of them improved in 2-4 weeks postoperatively and recovered completely at 6-month follow -up.Cerebrospinal fluid leak was found in 4 patients (19.0％).The VAS score was 1.5±1.4 at post-operation,which was significantly lower than the 6.2± 1.6 in average at operation (P=0.008).Three patients with metastatic tumors died during the follow-up.Titanium mesh cage subsidence was observed in 7 patients (33.3％).No implant failure was occurred during the follow-up.Conclusion Total en bloc spondylectomy for tumors of the fourth lumbar spine in a posterior-only approach is feasible.However,there are many intraoperative neurological complications and the indications for TES are extremely limited.

Objective To evaluate the mechanical stability of alternative reconstruction methods after total en bloc spon?dylectomy in the lower lumbar spine. Methods Eight adult fresh cadaveric lumbosacral spines (L1-S1) were adopted. Total en bloc spondylecotmy of the L4 vertebra was performed after intact testing. Four designed reconstruction samples were tested for the range of motion (ROM) of the spine:1) expandable artificial vertebral body and short posterior instrumentation at L3-L5 (SP), 2) ex?pandable artificial vertebral body and short posterior instrumentation with additional anterolateral fixation at L 3-L5 (ASP), 3) ex?pandable artificial vertebral body and multilevel posterior instrumentation at L2-S1 (MP), 4) expandable artificial vertebral body and multilevel posterior instrumentation with additional anterolateral fixation at L2-S1 (AMP). Nondestructive biomechanical test?ing was performed on each construct under loading control. The ROM for each construct was obtained by applying pure moments in flexion, extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation. Results In flexion, extension and lateral bending, the ROM of all the re?constructed constructs significantly decreased compared to the intact. The ROM of specimens with anterolateral fixation was less when compared to the ones without additional fixation. In lateral bending, MP (L:1.87° ± 0.32° , R:1.97° ± 0.33° ), ASP (L:1.89° ± 0.37°, R:2.08°±0.36°) and AMP (L:1.32°±0.29°, R:1.61°±0.33°) provided significantly less ROM than the SP (L:3.14°±0.35°, R:3.44°±0.34°). In axial rotation, the ROM of ASP (L:4.21°±0.58°, R:4.02°±0.59°) and AMP (L:3.56°±0.55°, R:3.52°±0.48°) was significant decreased when compared to the intact state (L: 7.47° ± 1.00° , R:7.57° ± 0.84° ). MP (L:6.33° ± 0.71° , R:5.88° ± 0.62°), ASP and AMP showed significantly less ROM than the short posterior fixation (L:9.28°±1.01°, R:9.48°±0.98°). AMP sig?nificantly decreased the ROM compared to MP. Conclusion After total en bloc spondylectomy of lower lumbar, long segmental fixation provided more stability to the construct than the short one. Compared to posterior fixation, circumferential fixations showed a higher stability. In contrast, multilevel segmental instrumentation with circumferential fixation did not provided more stability than the short constructs.